Terrorists and Freedom Fighters
by Hawki
Summary: SU Oneshot: "One mobian's terrorist is another mobian's freedom fighter." That was a saying that had existed since even before Robotnik took the throne. But as the Resistance stepped up its efforts against the mad doctor, the worth, and truth of the saying, was called into question.


**Terrorists and Freedom Fighters**

_One mobian's terrorist is another mobian's freedom fighter._

The saying rolled over and over in Sonia's mind, like a sailing ship caught in a storm on sea. The ship couldn't go back to port, because otherwise, its journey, and all who had perished on it already, would have died for nothing. However, it couldn't go on ahead either, because if it ploughed on through the storm, it would be smashed to pieces. While not a captain of a sailing ship, she _was _the de facto leader of the Resistance. Not for too long, she hoped, because someday, Queen Aleena would return to her people. The Robotnik Empire would be cast down, Robotnik himself locked away, and Robotropolis renamed as Mobotropolis. Simple plan, simple goals, and she could get back to playing on her keyboard. Maybe write some songs commemorating the events that led up to that moment.

_Like this one?_

She grit her teeth and leant forward on the chair she was sitting on in one of the Resistance's safehouses. Once one of a handful, now one of dozens that dotted the cityscape of Robotropolis. The screen itself was taken from the helmet feed of Cyrus, as he overlooked the gathering in front of the warship that was about to launch. A gathering of aristocrats, flanked by SWATbots, plus some roboticized members of the populace who hadn't had a choice in the manner. Mobians of all shapes and sizes that were going to die very soon, and very horribly. Least if the plan went as intended.

"Cyrus," Sonia said, through her radiopiece. "Are the bombs in place?"

"The bombs are…" He trailed off. He said something, but Sonia couldn't make it out.

"_Louder_, Cyrus."

"The bombs are…in place," he whispered.

Sonia sighed, leant back in her chair and folded her arms. "Something wrong Cyrus?"

"Wrong? Nah. Nothing's wrong. Only that we're-"

"You and your team planted the bombs in the ship where I ordered, right? Engines, bridge, fusion core, that sort of thing?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And the SWATbots didn't see you?"

"No ma'am."

"And when I give you the order to detonate, you're not going to have any problems with that, are you?"

Cyrus didn't say anything.

"I said, you're not going to have any problems with-"

"Yes ma'am."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean…no, Sonia," Cyrus whispered. "Of course not. We'll detonate on your command."

"Very good."

"And no-one else's."

Sonia frowned, not liking the insinuation. "Wait for my order Cyrus. And keep the feed on."

The feed shifted a bit as Cyrus took off his helmet – the feed was kept trained on the gathering that he and his Resistance team were overlooking. She leant back in her chair, wondering when the big round guy was going to show up.

"**Citizens of Robotropolis..."**

She scowled. _There you are._

"…**may I present to you…"**

_Keep talking Sleet._

"…**Doctor Julian Ivo Robotnik!"**

The cloud clapped, even if they didn't cheer. On a podium in front of the ship, a hologram of Robotnik appeared. For all his faults, the good doctor was too smart to make an appearance in person. Not that he could have known about the bombs on the ship behind the hologram, but if he'd been there in person, Sonia would have detonated the bombs then and there.

"**Thank you, thank you," **the hologram said. **"I'm sure we can all be gratified in commemorating the launch of the **_**Iron Will**_**, the first in a long line of ships that will protect the citizens of this fair city from the terrorists that seek to end our way of life."**

_Go to hell, _Sonia thought.

"**In marking this momentous occasion, we…"**

"Cyrus, turn the sound off," Sonia murmured.

"Ma'am?"

"I can't stand to listen to him. Turn it off."

"But the bombs-"

"I'll tell you when to set off the bombs," she snapped. "Now do it."

"Sure, Sonia."

_That's ma'am._

Cyrus obliged, so even while she couldn't hear Robotnik talk about the ship he was about to launch, she could see his hologram drone on, and the cloud clap as was needed. Even if Robotnik's voice didn't make her feel ill, she wouldn't have needed to hear it. She knew all about the _Iron Will _– a stratospheric warship that was practically impervious to outside attack, and able to make air-to-surface strikes with pinpoint precision. 90% of the reason it existed was as a status symbol. A reassurance to Robotnik's subjects that he was still in control, regardless of how many SWATbots the Resistance destroyed, or how many factories they left in ruins. The other 10% was as an actual weapon of war. That if the Resistance poked their heads up from the ground, they could expect to be blown to oblivion. And while a hedgehog, and thus in a habitat that suited her, Sonia knew that the Resistance couldn't win this fight by staying hidden. They had to get their hands, heads, and yes, their hearts dirty if they were going to win.

Which was why she'd had Cyrus and a Resistance team set bombs on the _Iron Will_, with the intent of destroying it before it launched. The ensuring blast would destroy it, and have the side effect of killing hundreds of innocent (and not so innocent people) that had gathered around it. She'd actually wondered if Robotnik had counted on this, that he'd organized a gathering in order to dissuade the Resistance from making an attack. Having grown up in the high and fancy circles of her adoptive mother, Sonia knew that some of the 1% supported Robotnik, and some didn't. That if she did this, the innocent would die along with the guilty, not to mention the robians. But she had to do this.

"Cyrus," Sonia whispered. "You still there?"

"Here, Sonia."

She smiled – for once, her name felt better than being called "ma'am." "Prepare to detonate on my command."

"Sonia, you're sure about this?"

She took a breath. "Positive," she whispered.

"Alright," Cyrus said, his voice low. A remote detonator appeared in front of the camera feed, held in a lion's paw. "Ready to pull the button. And, y'know, kill hundreds of innocent people and-"

"Detonate on my command," Sonia said. She took one last look at the crowd, and the hologram of Robotnik. "Detonate in three…two…one…"

"Sonia!"

"Hold that thought!" She spun around and looked at the one approaching her command station. _Oh hell._

"It's true then? You're actually doing it!"

Sonia sighed. "Cyrus, hold off a bit will you? Family drama on the home front."

"Yes ma'am. Of course."

Did he have to sound so happy about it, she wondered? Surely Cyrus knew that they were doing this one way or the other. Regardless, she folded her arms and leant back in her chair. "Manic," she said. "So nice to see you. Here. Right now. Especially after I sent you to Lima Station."

"Yeah, you did, only Little Birdy told me what you were doing."

Sonia scowled – she'd have a talk with Little Birdy later. That cockatoo never knew when to keep his beak shut.

"This your plan?" Manic asked. "Send me and Sonic away so we wouldn't have to see what you were doing?"

_Yes. _She forced a smile. "I sent Sonic to Madril because he's the fastest guy we've got, and he's the only one who could make it there in time."

"It's on the other side of the continent."

"See? Perfect choice. And I sent you to Lima Station because the Freedom Stormer needs some repairs, and-"

"Sonia, you're many things. But you're not a liar."

The lavender hedgehog frowned, as the cheeks of the green hedgehog in front of her got redder and redder.

"And you're not a murderer."

"No. I'm not. I'm the leader of the Resistance-"

Manic scoffed.

"_De facto _leader of the Resistance then." She spun around in her chair and looked at the feed. "And I'm doing this. If the _Iron Will _launches, then our jobs became much harder."

"Our jobs?" Manic whispered. "Dunno if you've noticed sis, but the job's been hard from day one."

"And?"

"And? _And_?" He walked over and gestured to the people on the screen. "And you'll be killing hundreds."

"Yep."

"And you don't care?"

"Nope."

"But you sent me and Sonic away," Manic said. "You obviously care enough about _that_."

Sonia glared at him. "Anything you'd like to add, Manic? Cyrus is there. He's got the button. I give him the order, and the _Iron Will _is destroyed."

Manic took a step back. "Cyrus?" he whispered.

"Yep. He's there. Because Cyrus understands what has to be done. As I thought you would."

The last part was a lie. And she'd left out that she'd had to spend hours convincing Cyrus to do this at all. Regardless, she turned back to face the screen. Robotnik's speech was projected to go on for about ten minutes before the ship launched, but that wasn't what she was worried about. Rather, that every minute they delayed was a chance for the SWATbots and dollybots on the ship to find the bombs they'd planted. If they found one, an EMP could disable them all. Temporarily disable the ship as well, but Sonia knew they'd never get a chance like this again.

"You're really doing this," Manic said.

"Yep." She glanced back at him, and frowned. _I liked you more when you were a thief and a stoner, little brother. When did you get so damn pious?_

Maybe from her, she reflected. Or Sonic. Or maybe it had always been there – honour among thieves and all that.

"Sonia," Manic said.

She looked back at the screen.

"Sonia, you're better than this. _We're _better than this."

"Don't know if you noticed Manic, but we can't walk the high ground forever without falling off it eventually."

"And that's what you tell yourself? To justify this?"

Sonia sighed. "One mobian's terrorist is another mobian's freedom fighter."

"What?" Manic asked.

"Quote of Sir Reginald Raccoon in the Third Mobian War. You should look him up."

"Sonia, this isn't a war. It's an insurgency. And until now, we already stayed on the right side of that line."

Sonia scoffed and looked back at him. "What, like all those adventures we had? Defeat Robotnik, save the world, sing a rock song with terrible lyrics?"

Manic frowned. "They weren't that bad."

In spite of everything, she smiled. "No. Some weren't. But that was then. This is now. Our mother hasn't reunited with us, and Robotnik's not playing around anymore. So if he plays hardball, we play harder."

"In spite of what that'll do to us. To you."

Sonia shrugged. "I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

"And yet, you've given Cyrus the remote."

_Cyrus. _She looked back at the screen and activated her radio. "Cyrus. You still there?"

"Here ma'am. Waiting for your order. In which case you've decided against this, and if you have, I've got to say, that's really great, and-"

"Cyrus, stand by." Sonia took off the radio and sighed. She leant back in her chair, watching Robotnik's hologram blather on about who knew what.

"Sonia…" Manic said.

"Manic, you can't stop me from doing this." _Well, not without force anyway, and we all know that I could give the order before you pull your drums out._

"Sonia, if you do this, the Resistance will be tainted forever."

Sonia grunted.

"And if our mother knew you did this-"

"Aleena's not here Manic."

"She will be though. Someday. The prophecy said-"

"Blow the prophecy."

Manic walked over to her side. "Sonia?"

She glared at him. "The prophecy," she snarled. "It's been years Manic, and mother still isn't here. Chances are she never will be."

"But the Oracle said-"

"I don't care about what some…whatever animal he is, said, I care about the here and now." Sonia looked back at the screen. "And I've wasted enough time."

"You've let those people live. That's good. Just need to go a step further."

"Shut up Manic."

"What would Sonic think?"

"Sonic isn't here. Knuckles isn't here. Even Bartleby isn't here, because he…" She took a breath. "Because he chose the right side in the end. Those people there, on screen? They didn't."

"Sonia, you don't know who's innocent and who's guilty."

Sonia shrugged.

"Sonia, what would-"

"Manic, I don't care what people think. I'm doing it."

"…Lady Windimire think?"

A pillar of ice ran down Sonia's spine, its tendrils extending into her heart. Slowly, ever so slowly, she looked at her brother, and when she spoke, her tongue was like that of a serpent, and laced with as much venom as one. "Don't you dare," she whispered. "Don't you dare mention her name."

"Sonia, I know she wasn't your real mother, but-"

"She was more real than Aleena ever was." She spun round again. "Enough. Windimire's gone. I can't save her, but I can avenge her. And I don't think a thief has the high ground in this."

"Take that back."

"Make me."

Manic slammed his hand on the console, and Sonia glared at him. However, the glare in her eyes was nothing compared to his.

"I was a thief," he whispered. "But there were lines that I never crossed. And you know why?"

"Because you're all so pure of heart?"

"Because Ferrell raised me right. Just like Windimire raised you, and Chuck raised Sonic. And none of them raised us to be monsters like Robotnik."

Monster. The word cut deep – even deeper than terrorist. She'd spent the last few years fighting a monster, and the majority of her life living under a monster's shadow. The thought of her being like him, like the monster on the stage right now…

"Come on Sonia," Manic said. "You know this is wrong. You've even given Cyrus the detonator, because you can't detonate it yourself."

She remained silent.

"Sis, come on," Manic said. "We're the Resistance. Not terrorists. We've done our job without stooping to this level before, we can do it now."

Sonia sighed and activated the radio. "Cyrus?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"Execute the…" She looked at Manic. The fire in his eyes was gone, replaced with concern. Kindness. Hope. "Execute… Gamma Protocol."

"Ma'am?"

"Do it."

"Yes ma'am. Of course ma'am."

"Good. Now get out of there. But leave the camera."

Sonia lay back in her seat, exhausted. Manic patted her on the shoulder. "You did the right thing."

Sonia shook her head. "I haven't. Not yet."

"Sonia?"

She bit her lip, reached forward, and pressed a button on the console. The _Iron Will _detonated in a ball of fire, sending shards of metal everywhere. The hologram of Robotnik winked out. And the people in front of it…they died. Horribly.

"Gamma Protocol," Sonia whispered. She looked at Manic. "You were right. I shouldn't have made Cyrus do that. I authorized the op. I should have pressed the button."

Manic said nothing. He wasn't looking at her, nor did he appear to be listening. His eyes were fixed on the screen. At the burning ship. At the SWATbots, destroyed, or barely functioning. At the few who were still operable, trying to help the mobians and robians who were burning alive, or bleeding out due to the metal.

"Manic," Sonia whispered.

He took a step back. Then another. And another after that.

"Manic!" Sonia repeated.

He finally looked at her, staring through the tears welling in his eyes.

"Manic, I've saved thousands of lives," Sonia said. "Robotnik can call this what he wants, but now he knows the truth. There's nowhere that we can't hurt him. There's no weapon he can deploy that he can't counter. His empire's on its last legs, and-"

"You're just like him," her brother whispered.

"I'm sorry?"

"Robotnik. You're just like him."

Sonia got to her feet, her eyes narrow, her breath laboured. "Take that back," she whispered.

Manic said nothing. He just continued to step away from her.

"Manic? Take that back."

He shook his head and ran out of the room."

"Manic, you…fine! Coward!" She looked round at the screen. At the burning ship. At the bodies. At the SWATbots struggling to save the injured. At a child screaming for his mother. At a father weeping over the body of his daughter. At the hovercraft appearing above. At the fruits of their victory.

_History will remember this, _Sonia told herself. _For the better. For the moment when the death knell was struck._

She took a seat and watched the scene unfold, trying to fight back tears. She'd done the right thing. But she owed it to the innocent, and even the guilty, to give them her time. Her silent acknowledgement that they'd suffered for the greater good. That this would lead to the Resistance's victory against the most evil man who'd ever blighted the planet.

After all, she wasn't a monster.

* * *

_A/N_

_So, chances are that most of you are already aware of the phrase "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." That isn't what got me to write this. Rather, it was an article I read awhile ago claiming that the quote is actually false. That there actually is a distinction between a "terrorist" and "freedom fighter" that's dependent on their actions. And, granted, that's not too unreasonable a claim, but if we define terrorism as "violence against non-military targets to achieve socio-political ends," then a lot of actions become terrorist actions. Certainly stuff like military bombing against civilian infrastructure would count._

_Course, people have debated what constitutes terrorism for decades, and they're a lot smarter than me, but in the meantime, drabbled this up. And granted, _Sonic the Hedgehog _isn't exactly the most suited media for that, but...okay, _Sonic Underground _has always been my least favourite Sonic cartoon, and in part it's because it never fully utilizes the concepts it presents. You have a Robotropolis where organics still remain (mainly aristocrats), so the question can be asked as to whether some might actually prefer Robotnik's rule to Aleena's. The show came close to touching on this a few times, but never engaged with it. So, um, yeah. Yay for dark!Sonia?_


End file.
